継続は力なり。

Keizoku wa chikara nari

Perseverance is power

Beep… Beep… Beep…

I woke up with a splitting headache. Opening my eyes slowly, I tried to ignore the feeling of something slamming an axe into my skull repeatedly. I caught a glimpse of the school infirmary before I was forced to shut my eyes again, as the bright lights turned the axe hitting my skull into a bus.

"Oww…" I groaned quietly, reaching up to cover my eyes.

"Congratulations," a familiar voice droned. "You are the first student I've had in the infirmary."

I smiled, despite my headache, at the sound of Mister Aizawa's voice. Had he been waiting for me to wake up? "Aww, y-you do c-care," I teased.

Mister Aizawa was not impressed. "Kurosaki, you're the only student in my class with healing abilities. Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds?" I frowned at the change of address. He'd been calling me Ichigo before…

"Th-that means I've b-been d-doing my job," I muttered petulantly, trying to open my eyes again. Mister Aizawa was sitting in a chair near the foot of my hospital bed. There was one bandage covering his cheek, which I assumed was the result of "cleaning up" the USJ after the invasion.

Now that my eyes were open, Mister Aizawa took the opportunity to stare at me with dead eyes. "You've been doing too much of your job," he said without inflection. I shuddered in fear. "Recovery Girl is keeping you here for the next twenty-four hours on watch. I'll have one of your classmates bring your homework to you tomorrow," he flipped out his phone. "Is there anyone you want to contact?"

I panicked for a moment, because not calling anyone to update them on my "condition" would be suspicious - before I remembered that I actually did have someone to call. "Y-yes, please," I murmured, reaching out to grab Mister Aizawa's phone. Checking the time, I found that I'd been unconscious for around two hours. Curiosity sated, I dialed the number for Missus Yukihime's flower shop.

It rang for a few seconds, before the old lady picked up. "Hello? This is Missus Yukihime's Flower Store, how can I help you?"

"M-Missus Yukihime, th-this is I-Ichigo," I stammered, fiddling with the white hospital sheets in my lap.

I could almost hear the old woman's smile. "Miss Ichigo? What's going on?"

"I-I'm not going t-to b-be able to visit th-the shop t-tonight," I said apologetically. "S-sorry." I bit my lip, hoping she wouldn't become angry with me.

Missus Yukihime laughed. "It's quite alright. I can take care of the shop tonight. May I ask why?"

"Oh. Um, I-I'm kind of in th-the hospital," I explained, cheeks turning red. I had a healing quirk, Mister Aizawa was right, that did sound stupid. "Th-there was a t-training accident at s-school."

"My goodness! I hope you get better then. Do you know when you'll be released?" Missus Yukihime asked concernedly.

I nodded frantically, forgetting that she couldn't see. "Y-yes, by t-tomorrow! Th-thank you, Missus Yukihime!" I grinned happily, ecstatic that I wouldn't be losing my shelter/job.

"Of course, call me again if anything changes. I hope you recover quickly," Miss Yukihime finished.

"Th-thank you," I repeated. "P-please have a good evening!" I finished, ending the call. I lowered the phone from my ear, still grinning way-too-widely. I handed the cellphone back to Mister Aizawa, practically bouncing.

Mister Aizawa pocketed the phone, glancing at me suspiciously. "Who was that?"

"M-my employer," I answered shortly, still dancing in my seat excitedly. "Sh-she said th-that it's okay!" My smile grew even brighter.

Mister Aizawa nodded. "Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Recovery Girl should be here to check on you soon enough, she'll have some of the bots bring you lunch. Need anything before I go?" This would've sounded kind coming from someone else, but from my teacher's mouth it came off more like I dare you to ask me for something.

I have never been very brave. "N-nope," I shook my head. "Have a good e-evening!" I waved cheerily.

"Yeah. Night," Mister Aizawa grunted, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling out the door. I was still bouncing five minutes later, until I realized that I had nothing to do. Scanning the room, I searched for something to summon a robot or Recovery Girl. I was sure that I wasn't allowed to leave my bed. I found nothing.

By the time Recovery Girl arrived an hour later, I was crying from boredom.

Izuku visited me the next morning. He stumbled through the infirmary door looking very distressed. He scanned the many empty hospital beds before spotting me near the window in the last bed. He scurried over, eyes wide.

"I-Ichigo! I'm so glad you're okay, I heard you were in the hospital and -" he gasped for air, clearly having run all the way here. He bowed, rushing out, "I'msosorryyouhurtyourselfhealingme!"

I blinked in shock, before turning bright red. "I-It's alright! It w-wasn't your f-fault a-anyways. I p-pushed myself t-too m-much fighting T-Tomura," I stuttered, pulling on Izuku's shoulders so he'd stand up.

"Tomura?" Izuku repeated, confused.

I realized Izuku hadn't been around for that part. "Um, the villain w-with th-the hands? H-his name w-was T-Tomura Shigaraki," I explained, fidgeting as I remembered the battle from yesterday. Tomura had been far more powerful and skilled than I was, I was just lucky enough to have the perfect quirk for fighting him. If he appeared again - and I was sure he would - he would be ready to counteract my power.

"Oh. Tomura Shigaraki? Does the Police Force know?" Izuku asked, clearly already planning to go research the name.

I nodded. "P-probably. M-mister Aizawa heard h-his n-name as w-well, so th-they should."

The door slammed open suddenly, and both Izuku and I looked towards it immediately. Tenya marched into the room first, glasses shining in determination, while Ochako ran past him in a flurry, throwing herself over my legs on the bed.

"I can't believe you're in the hospitaaaall," she flubbered, streams of water pouring down her cheeks. "Why didn't you call meeee!" She turned her wide, teary eyes on me pathetically.

I wilted, leaning forward to pat her head. "I-I'm sorry, Ocha-chan," I apologized, smiling. "B-but I p-promise I'm okay n-now!"

Tenya appeared, and whipped out a gigantic bouquet from thin air. "Ichigo! When I heard you were in the hospital, I came as soon as I could. This is from me," he laid the enormous bouquet down on my bedside table, then pulled out another one. "This is from my brother. He thanks you for fighting so valiantly to protect Yuuei Academy!" As soon as that bundle of flowers was laid down, yet another bouquet appeared. "And this is from my father! He said that…"

I slowly slouched down, watching Tenya pull out bouquet after bouquet delivering messages from all of his family members. Izuku was also slumped in disbelief, staring at Tenya's growing menagerie of flowers. Even Ochako stopped crying to watch the spectacle.

"... and finally, this is from my great uncle, who says that you display every inch of what a hero is!" Tenya finished, laying the final bouquet down. The flowers were on both sides of my bed, piling up to the ceiling and pouring off the tables.

I blinked, looking at the mountains of flowers for one long, awkward pause. "Th-thank you?" I said slowly. I glanced at Izuku and Ochako, who appeared petrified. I couldn't stop myself from bursting into giggles.

It was around lunch time when the door of the infirmary opened again. I looked up from my papers, which Tenya had delivered to me earlier (as "my duty and honor as Class Representative demands, and I once again thank you for nominating me!") and was surprised to see Momo Yaoyorozu.

"Y-yaoyorozu!" I squeaked out, face turning red. "Th-thank you f-for helping m-me b-before, Izukun t-told m-me you s-saved m-me from d-drowning and -"

Yaoyorozu held up a hand, and I immediately shut my mouth. She smiled at me gently. "I'm glad I was able to help you, especially after all you did during the invasion. I heard from Uraraka that you were in the infirmary," she sat down in one of the chairs near my bed, leftover from when Izuku, Tenya, and Ochako visited this morning. "Have you been feeling better?"

I nodded eagerly. "Y-yes! R-Recovery Girl s-said I w-would b-be free to g-go a-after school t-today, if th-there were n-no c-complications." I bit my lip, hoping I had said the right thing. Yaoyorozu seemed so put together and calm, I felt a bit unstable in her presence. She was everything I wasn't: tall, pretty, confident, and with an awesome quirk that could work both offensively and defensively.

"That's good. Excellent, actually," Yaoyorozu responded. She frowned, reaching forward to touch my forehead. "Are you okay, Kurosaki? Your face is very red…"

I leaned back, waving my hands frantically. "O-oh no, its a-alright! I j-just b-blush a l-lot!" I felt my face become even hotter as I spoke. I wouldn't be surprised if my entire face and ears were red at this point.

"If you're sure," Yaoyorozu said doubtfully. She leaned back, and closed her eyes. "I have to say, what you did at the USJ was very impressive. You were able to go toe-to-toe with an actual villain, and come away with minimal injuries. It's incredible that you managed to heal Midoriya afterwards as well."

I shook my head. "N-not r-really. I j-just got l-lucky th-that my quirk w-was a perfect c-counter."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "I don't believe that's the case. You managed to evade the teleporting villain as well," I frowned, wondering how she knew that. "Ashido informed me. She wanted to thank you as well, but she hasn't had a chance to visit yet." I now stared at her suspiciously, hoping she wasn't telepathic, while she sighed deeply. "Honestly, I wish I could've done what you had. Your quirk is innately useful for helping others."

I grinned shyly, feeling very proud that Yaoyorozu wished she could do something I did. "I-I'm s-sure your quirk c-could be u-useful h-helping others as w-well. Y-you do v-very well with chemistry, r-right? Y-you could l-learn F-First Aid. W-with y-your abilities, y-you could m-make m-medical supplies at a-any time," I suggested.

"That's true, I hadn't considered that," Yaoyorozu agreed. She noticed the papers in my lap. "Oh, is that today's English work? Do you need any assistance? I'm sure it's more difficult when you miss class."

I shook my head, smiling contently. "Th-that's alright. I-I'm a-actually fluent in English a-as of two years ago," I told her, answering the last question on the worksheet. "I asked Mister P-Present Mic if I c-could have a-all the w-work for the month, s-so my time wouldn't be w-wasted s-sitting here."

"You're fluent in English?" Yaoyorozu repeated, surprised.

"Mhm!" I confirmed. I couldn't help but brag a little, my intelligence was always something I took extreme pride in. "I l-learn languages a-as a hobby. I c-can speak English, G-German, and S-Spanish, a-and I'm learning Latin c-currently," I grinned cheekily. "W-well, a-and of course J-Japanese."

Yaoyorozu was stunned for a moment, before she laughed lightly. "You must be quite the intellectual! Do you know any chemistry? I've never been able to have conversations with others about it before," she sounded surprisingly eager. I was taken aback, because no one had ever had that response to my "hobby" before.

"I know s-some organic ch-chemistry," I responded, realizing that this was a person I could have true intellectual conversations with. "I-I wanted t-to know how my quirk w-worked. I c-can do more r-research though, i-if you wanted to t-talk," I offered.

Yaoyorozu squealed. "That is wonderful! I am sure we will be very good friends!" I couldn't help but grin back ecstatically. I had another new friend, this was great!

I was released from the infirmary that evening, with a warning not to use my quirk again for at least another day. "I don't want you back in here again," Recovery Girl had told me sternly. The sentiment was redoubled on my part, and as soon as my papers were signed I was running out the door, braids flying behind me. They were several inches longer than before, a result of using my quirk for an extended period of time.

I reached Missus Yukihime's flower shop only an hour after school released, bouncing in through the glass door. A tiny bell rang as I entered the store, and my sneakers squeaked on the dark green tile. I carefully caught the door before it could bang into the beige walls. Missus Yukihime peeked out from behind the white counter in the back immediately, and she smiled when she saw me.

"Miss Ichigo, it's good to see you again!" She greeted, walking over to me. "Are you feeling better now?"

I nodded. "Y-yes ma'am! J-just got released from th-the infirmary and e-everything. I'm n-not s-supposed to s-stress myself though," I shook my head, remembering those directions. The only way I could be not stressed was if I stayed in an isolated, padded room, and even then I could probably find a way to angst over something.

"I'm glad then," Missus Yukihime said. "Do you have any homework to do?"

"N-nope," I answered, grinning triumphantly. "I-I'm actually several m-months ahead now!"

Missus Yukihime sighed, shaking her head. "I wish I had been that smart when I was your age," she said mournfully, walking towards one of the many shelves of flower boxes lining the walls. "The amount of trouble it would've saved me…" She reached out and plucked a flower from one of the displays. Running her fingers along the stem, she held it out to me. "I wanted to give you this."

I eyed the beautiful flower. It was a soft purple, with large blooming petals and a spike running up from the center. "I-It's very pretty," I complimented, wondering what was so special about it.

"It was my husband's favorite," Missus Yukihime confided. "The gladiolus was favored by gladiators during roman times. It represents honor, strength of character, and the will to never give up," she tucked the flower behind my ear gently. "It should serve you well, if you plan to become a hero." There was a pregnant pause, while I absorbed that information. Missus Yukihime clapped her hands together suddenly. "Now why don't you get started cleaning, hm? I'm not paying you for standing there looking pretty!" She said, returning to her spot behind the counter.

I giggled, cheeks turning pink. "You g-got it!"